Outlook Connector beta

Although Outlook 2003 and later versions do support HTTP email protocol, enabling you to download your emails into Outlook, there was no support for Calendar or Contact  information from Hotmail to Outlook.

Microsoft released the outlook Connector some time back which allowed users of premium MSN subscriptions to synchronize there Hotmail information (emails, Calendar and Contacts) with Outlook, albeit, free subscription users, like myself, could only envy those who had enough dough to spend on the premium subscription just for the sake of having it all in one place (of which I am quite a junkie, given that my GMail, Yahoo and Hotmail – apart from my corporate emails are configured in Outlook).

Some time ago there was a tip on ‘Outlook Tips’ stating that Microsoft planned to make a free version of the Outlook Connector available for free subscribers.

After a long wait the Outlook Connector beta is finally available 🙂

Link to Microsoft Office Outlook Connector beta overview – Outlook – Microsoft Office Online

Though, this still limits the users to synchronization of Emails and contacts. Calendar synchronization is still only available to premium service subscribers. Still, I would go ahead and replace my current configured Hotmail account in Outlook with the Outlook Connector, utilize as much as one can for no extra cost.

For users who want to configure their Yahoo! emails on outlook without paying for the Yahoo! premium service, please check out YPoPs, a client side Yahoo mail popping service.

http://yahoopops.sourceforge.net

I have been using YPOPS (known as YahooPOPS till a little while ago) for over 2 years and can ensure prospective users regarding its stability and utility. The only downside being, if you also use the web interface quite regularly, and in which case you might be relatively fond of the new AJAX based web interface, YPOPs only works with the Classic interface. So you will have to choose between getting the emails in a desktop client or the bells and whistles of the all new Yahoo Mail!.